The Pentagon plans to announce the repeal of its ban on transgender service members July 1, a controversial decision that would end nearly a year of internal wrangling among the services on how to allow those troops to serve openly, according to Defense officials…

The plan would direct each branch of the armed services over a one-year period to implement new policies affecting recruiting, housing and uniforms for transgender troops, one official said.

— USA Today reporting on the upcoming repeal of the transgender military ban. Until now, openly transgender people have been forbidden from joining the armed services (because of “major abnormalities” during their full-body medical examination) or given an “administrative discharge” during active duty for “sexual gender and identity disorders”. After the September 20, 2011 repeal of the millitary’s gay ban (aka. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”) the LGBT military group OutServe/Servicemembers Legal Defense Network became primarily focused on repealing the anti-trans military ban.

On July 1, the Pentagon will not report the projected cost of changing the policy, how restrooms and other facilities will change or the extent of psychological and medical coverage for trans servicemembers; Pentagon officials say they will release details on these issues “soon.”

One study estimates about 2,500 transgender military people currently serving in the U.S. armed services. Right now, 18 other countries like Australia, Bolivia, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom all allow trans people to serve.